Langar Wali Maa Ki Dal
This wholesome maa ki dal is served in Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) during the community meal known as Langar.
Servings: 4
Calories: 296kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Cup whole urad (black lentil)
- ¼ Cup red kidney beans (rajma)
- ¼ Cup chana dal (Bengal Gram)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable refined oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
- 1 large size tomato, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 Cup water
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala (see recipe)
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 2 green chillies, sliced
- handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Mix all three legumes in a bowl. Rinse 2 – 3 times or until water runs clear.
- Soak them in clean drinking water overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. This helps in softening the beans and reducing the cooking time.
- In a pressure cooker heat oil. Once hot add cumin, asafoetida, and finely chopped ginger. Saute over medium heat till ginger turns light golden.
- Add chopped onion and fry over medium heat till light brown.
- Add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder. Fry this masala over low heat till the tomatoes break down completely and the oil separates from the masala.
- Drain the soaked legumes. Add them to the same pressure cooker. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes while mixing everything nicely.
- Add water, stir to combine, and close the lid of the pressure cooker.
- Pressure cook maa ki dal over low heat for 3 – 4 whistles. Turn off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
- Check maa ki dal for doneness. Turn back the heat on.
- Add garam masala, kasuri methi, sliced green chillies to the dal. Stir to combine and simmer it over low heat for 5 – 10 minutes allowing all the flavors to meld together.
- Taste dal at this stage for seasoning and add more seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve maa ki dal with simple side dishes like naan, paratha, tandoori roti, or chapati.
Notes
- Soaking helps in softening the legumes and reducing the cooking time. Hence, do not skip this step.
- Pressure Cook the dal on lowest heat setting to imitate the slow cooking process.
- After pressure cooking, if the dal looks too thick, you can add some hot water, and simmer over low heat to adjust the consistency.
Nutrition
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 826mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 414IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 5mg